The White House. Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. The New York State Capitol building in Albany.

These are just some of the places an enthusiastic delegation from ������’s InclusiveU program have traveled over the years, meeting with policymakers, politicians and higher education leaders to push for change to make higher education more accessible for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

For more than a decade, InclusiveU, an initiative from the , has set the standard by which all other inclusive higher education programs are judged. Its model encompasses individualized and inclusive coursework, student-centered planning, internships, and social and extracurricular activities.

“I always wanted to go to college, and when I heard about ������ and its InclusiveU program, I knew that was where I wanted to go to achieve my dreams,” says Matthew Falanga ’26, who was born with Down syndrome and is majoring in communications at Syracuse. “The best part of coming to Syracuse is making new friends and being involved on campus. It makes me feel very happy.”

Over the last 10 years, InclusiveU has experienced exponential growth and is now the largest program of its kind in the country. This year, 102 students are pursuing their academic dreams on campus, including 44 students who, like Falanga, live in residence halls.

Check out  featuring Falanga and InclusiveU Director Brianna Shults G’20. A transcript [PDF] is also available.

Recruiting Advocates, Reducing Stigmas

Over the years, InclusiveU Director Brianna Shults G’20 has led countless trips to bring current InclusiveU students and recent graduates to meet with elected officials. These trips serve to recruit new advocates, increase support and awareness of the program, and reduce the stigmas that still exist surrounding students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The opportunities InclusiveU affords aren’t readily available for many students like Falanga. According to , only 2% of school-age students with intellectual disability are likely to attend college after high school, and of the 472 colleges and universities in New York state, only 24 have inclusive postsecondary education programs.

“There was this cliff that many students with developmental and intellectual disabilities would drop off once they graduated high school. Some would find work or a program that filled time in their day, while some would do volunteer activities. Some just stayed home. By being able to take that next step in their development alongside their peers, continuing their educations while gaining skills to launch their careers, InclusiveU has given students the opportunity to define who they are and what they want to be. They get to have the same experiences their peers were afforded,” Shults says.

Now, thanks to a $200,000 grant from the B. Thomas Golisano Foundation, the School of Education’s  will provide technical assistance to schools and colleges in Western and Central New York to create and enhance inclusive college programs for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

This is in addition to the technical assistance InclusiveU has already provided to colleges and universities in Arizona, Florida, Kansas, New York, Pennsylvania and Tennessee when representatives from those institutions visited campus in 2023. InclusiveU students led campus tours while sharing how their higher education experiences had changed their lives.

“There are not enough inclusive programs like ours and our field is very collaborative. We want all students with intellectual or developmental disabilities who want to go to college to have an opportunity that fits their needs,” Shults says. “The demand versus available opportunity and the capacity of these programs is something that needs support. We are thankful for the Golisano Foundation’s help to build out this program and provide the type of support and knowledge that other programs [at other institutions] are looking for.”

Celebrating People With Disabilities

For many adolescent students with developmental disabilities, the pursuit of higher education is filled with roadblocks and can be a daunting task for both aspiring students and their families. But thanks to InclusiveU, students of all ages with intellectual and developmental disabilities are empowered to come to campus and experience college life in a fully inclusive setting, learning the necessary skills to thrive in the classroom and find a job after graduation.

These experiences prove to be life-changing for students like Falanga, who over the summer interned with , where he worked on a project promoting voting rights for people with disabilities, and also represented InclusiveU as an inclusive higher education advocate at a Disability Pride Event in the White House.

It was a once-in-a-lifetime moment for Falanga, who had a specific message for the government officials he met during his visit.

“Just because I was born with a disability, I want to celebrate my disability. I also want to help other people with disabilities feel better about themselves. Be proud of who you are. It is important for people with disabilities to learn about these programs [like InclusiveU] and know that they can go to college and start their new life,” says Falanga, who hopes to use his degree to land a job where he can help create more legislation that opens doors for people with disabilities.

Opening Doors for All

������ has a proud 154-year history of opening its doors to all students who are interested in receiving a college degree, regardless of their background or upbringing.

InclusiveU, which was founded in 2001 as a dual enrollment program with the Syracuse City School District, has provided the necessary skills for students to both thrive in the classroom and find a job after graduation. By incorporating InclusiveU students in classes with the general ������ student body, Shults says the entire campus community benefits.

“It helps make all ������ students better friends, better classmates, better coworkers and better community members,” Shults says. “Having this experience and interaction with InclusiveU students helps our whole campus think inclusively. It helps our administration think differently and more inclusively. We’re able to adjust the way students access their classes or how they interact with faculty to make sure those experiences are inclusive for all.”

Equipped for Lifelong Success

The initiative’s work is evolving. InclusiveU students now participate in the University’s First Year Seminar course, and in May, InclusiveU is launching the first inclusive Syracuse Abroad experience to Italy, with a goal of expanding opportunities for its students to study abroad.

Once they earn Syracuse degrees, many InclusiveU students successfully find paid, competitive jobs, due in part to the strong relationships InclusiveU develops with its partners, both on campus and in the Central New York community. It’s also a result of the yearlong internships InclusiveU students participate in as part of their three years of academic education.

But there’s more work to be done when it comes to support and funding for InclusiveU, including thinking beyond the students’ time on campus.

“We want to ensure that students can lead the lives that they want to live afterwards, and that goes for employment, community involvement and living situations. We have advocated for ending subminimum wage and closing sheltered workshops. The Higher Education Opportunity Act hasn’t been reauthorized since 2008,” Shults says. “These are all really important things to help individuals with disabilities lead productive and meaningful lives beyond higher education.”

For now, Falanga is focusing on fine-tuning his public speaking skills, continuing to make new friends on campus and finding ways to get and stay involved with the University he loves so much.

“������ makes me feel very happy and proud. InclusiveU has helped me to make new friends, take great classes and explore my career choices. This has changed my life,” Falanga says.

The Fran Brown era got off to a fantastic start when the ������ football team defeated Ohio University 38-22 Saturday afternoon before a raucous crowd of students, Central New York community members and alumni of the football program inside the JMA Wireless Dome.

Since his hiring as the program’s 31st head coach on Nov. 28, 2023, Brown has been busy making his mark, bringing in a slew of talented student-athletes and coaches while focusing on once again turning the Orange into national championship contenders.

But this job is about more than football for Brown, who came to Syracuse as the nation’s top college football recruiter and a member of the 2022 College Football National Championship coaching staff with the University of Georgia. Brown uses the life lessons football teaches to transform his players into men who are invested in their community and put the needs of the team above their own needs.

“Football has changed everything. It’s helped me be where I’m at today because of teamwork, because it’s bigger than just yourself. When you’re able to give it everything you’ve got, and it’s for us, not for I, then it becomes about everybody,” Brown says. “Now that I’m in the position I’m in, I can take football and I can help people literally change lives. I can be a blessing to others and to the community.”

Brown is a self-made man who came from humble beginnings in Camden, New Jersey, and football became an outlet for Brown. He excelled on the gridiron as Camden High School’s quarterback. After spending a year playing for Hudson Valley Community College, Brown was recruited to play for Western Carolina University by Matt Rhule, future head coach of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers. Brown thrived at cornerback, earning first-team All-Southern Conference honors and serving as team captain en route to earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

Brown credits his coaches for helping him reach his full potential as a football player and, more importantly, as a man focused on making a difference in his community.

“My coaches were good, positive men that were teaching me the right things and wanted to see me be successful,” says Brown. “That just poured into me and has been a big influence on my coaching career. You always take all the good that everyone gives you and you want to be able to give back, to help, to push young men to go be successful in life.”

With excitement building around the Orange football team—faculty and staff are encouraged to purchase their tickets to Saturday’s —Brown stopped by the “’Cuse Conversations” podcast to discuss how he’s making his mark on the program, why he’s all-in on ������ football and how his upbringing shaped and molded him into the leader he is today.

Check out  featuring Brown. A transcript [PDF] is also available.

How can you describe the emotions of this past weekend?

It was cool. It was emotional, just because of my family and getting them to have the opportunity to see me become a head coach. It’s a milestone when it comes to the entire family, my wife, my children, my siblings, my aunts and uncles. I’m extremely happy for them, and more so I’m happy for all the buildup from this community and how, since day one, we’ve gotten buy-in from the community. Everyone, the community, the staff, the faculty, the students, the alumni, everyone has been behind us. Everybody’s been open arms wanting to see us be successful. This win was for them. We deserved to start this out the right way.

How nervous were you before kickoff?

There were uncontrollable nerves! I was extremely nervous, but at the same time, when you prepare like we have, it’s a little bit of anxiety and that’s a part of the game. But I knew we were prepared. I didn’t lack the preparation, so it was just about football. I’m just thankful and happy that everybody [in the JMA Dome] got to enjoy their Saturday with a win.

What did you learn about yourself after your first game as a head coach?

I’ve got to control my composure on certain things. I was still in a practice mindset. My coaching staff did a great job and I learned that I was able to trust them and let them do what they need to do. Keep the players involved, even if they’re not on the field. Just getting everyone to focus on the game. Be where your feet are. It’s mental toughness. This is bigger than just a football game. Football teaches us about life and teaches us how to take care of all those little things.

With our core values, we are DART (Detailed, Accountable, Relentless, Tough). We need to be able to live DART at all times. Are you being detailed? Accountable? Relentless? When things are going the wrong way, are you displaying toughness?

What is the thought process behind DART?

I figured out what I can give these young men, outside of trying to get them closer to their faith, that they can take with them for the rest of their lives. No matter the situation, this DART tool is going to get them in and out of some of the toughest situations in their lives. Anyone that is going to lead a business, lead a family or be successful needs to be detailed, be accountable and be able to hold others accountable and be comfortable with others holding you accountable. You’re going to have to be relentless going after what it is you want to be in life. And you should be tough. If you’re DART in everything you do, you’re probably going to be very successful.

Note: This conversation was edited for brevity and clarity.

Each summer, the  hosts a prestigious preparatory program that helps dozens of international Fulbright Scholars begin their journeys to graduate degrees and research opportunities.

It’s called the , and ������ has served as a proud host site for the last 10 years, celebrating the power of both an international education and a cultural exchange.

This year, 44 master’s and Ph.D. students from 20 countries around the world are spending four weeks on campus discovering American culture, learning about life as a graduate student in the U.S. and developing necessary research skills.

The program is operated on campus by the  (ELI), sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by the Institute of International Education.

Each morning, the ELI offers English courses and lessons, including how to write a research paper as a graduate student. In the afternoons, cultural presentations and workshops are offered by Syracuse faculty and staff.

These international scholars are connected to a facilitator, a graduate of the pre-academic program who offers advice, guidance and friendship while mentoring these aspiring researchers. On the weekends, participants can take advantage of social field trips to cultural destinations like Niagara Falls and Green Lakes State Park.

Before departing for their graduate schools, the students give poster presentations on their research as a potential springboard to the research they will conduct for their capstone project.

“Through my research, I want to see how we can use technology and data information to better people’s lives,” says El-Baz Abdallah, a facilitator from the Comoro Islands who is entering his second year studying data analytics in the . “When I heard about the pre-academic program, I had been working for some time and hadn’t really thought about going back to school for my master’s degree, but the prestigiousness of the Fulbright program really stood out. There’s such a great impact, not just from the curriculum or the academics but the networking with your fellow scholars. This program was very rigorous, but it was really worth it.”

“From how we should be writing up our research and our bibliographies to what it means to do research as a graduate student in the United States, I’ve been really happy with all of the information I’ve learned that helps us adapt to the educational system here,” says Budoor Alsaadi, a native of Iraq who is pursuing a master’s degree in civil engineering with a focus in environmental engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

In this “’Cuse Conversation,” Abdallah and Alsaadi discuss their beneficial experiences as international Fulbright students participating in the pre-academic program, how they acclimated to life as students in the United States and how they plan on using their research to make a difference.

Original air date: May 9, 2024 Attending college was not on Leondra Tyler’s ’24 mind when persistent bullying and harassment forced her to drop out of high school in the tenth grade. The same was true for Omnia Shedid L’24, who grew up chasing chickens and running through her grandparents’ corn fields on a small, rural village in Banha, Egypt. Yet when ������ holds its ⁠2024 Commencement exercises⁠ Sunday morning, both Tyler and Shedid will be honored and celebrated for their perseverance and resilience in the face of immense adversity. A non-traditional student, Tyler will graduate cum laude with dual degrees in neuroscience and psychology from the ⁠College of Arts and Sciences⁠ and the ⁠College of Professional Studies⁠ through the Part-Time Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) and plans on becoming a doctor. Shedid, the president of the College of Law’s Class of 2024, landed her “dream job” as an honors attorney with the government after graduation. Tyler and Shedid discuss their surreal paths to Commencement, how their time on campus reinforced their drive to make a difference once they graduate and how they plan on utilizing their degrees to help out those less fortunate.

Original air date: April 9, 2024 What does it mean for ������ to invent and demonstrate cutting-edge sustainability initiatives? It means reducing the University’s environmental impact in a responsible manner by identifying, promoting, and implementing practices that will meet our current needs without compromising the needs of future generations. And it includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions through wisely managing energy efficiency projects. During April, the campus community is coming together to celebrate Earth Month. On this ”Cuse Conversation, Sustainability Project Manager Lydia Knox G’22 discusses the state of sustainability at ������, explores the sustainability efforts occurring on campus, describes how the University is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2032, shares how you can get involved with these initiatives and explains why she left her career as a television meteorologist to pursue her passion for sustainability and preserving the Earth.

Original air date: March 28, 2024 When more than 5,500 international students begin their ������ journeys, they face different challenges from their domestic counterparts. Besides leaving behind their families, their friends and everything they’ve ever known, for many international students, the first time they step foot on campus is often the day they arrive to embark on their Syracuse journeys. That was the case for Adya Parida ’25, who traveled nearly 7,700 miles from Ranchi, India to study computer science in the College of Engineering and Computer Science; Yajie (Lannie) Lan G’24, who ventured more than 7,300 miles from Chengdu, China to study architecture in the School of Architecture; and Angelica Molina G’25, who traveled more than 2,700 miles from Cali, Colombia to earn her master’s degree in public administration and international relations in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. These students discuss their respective journeys to ������, how they found success and a welcoming community on campus, their advice for fellow international students and how they plan on making a difference in their communities once they graduate.

Original air date: March 12, 2024 Amir Durić knew he was meant to serve as a faith leader when he was a child and his grandfather called upon him to lead his family’s daily prayers during the holy month of Ramadan, a time when observant Muslims around the world come together in hopes of increasing their consciousness, self-awareness and empathy through fasting daily from dawn to sunset and worship that elevates their spirituality. Since 2017, Durić has led efforts to enhance and improve the Muslim student experience, both at ������ and college campuses across the country, as the Imam with Hendricks Chapel. With Ramadan underway, Durić stopped by to discuss the role an Imam plays on campus, as well as the core tenets of Islam and the biggest misconceptions surrounding the religion. He also discusses his groundbreaking research on the Muslim student experience and explains how an interfaith collaboration with Rabbi Ethan Bair brought together Muslim and Jewish students to learn more about each other’s beliefs and values.

Original air date: March 5, 2024 Jon “JAG” Gay ’02 is the founder and owner of “JAG in Detroit,” a successful podcasting business that helps companies and non-profits share their stories through original audio content. He launched his podcasting business after a 15-year career in radio because he understands the compelling and intimate nature of audio storytelling. Gay talks about that, his experience as a ������ student and graduate, and his podcasting passion project, “⁠WJPZ at 50⁠.” Gay created “WJPZ at 50,” a podcast featuring alumni of ������ student radio station Z89, to celebrate the station’s 50th anniversary in 2023. More than a year and a half later, the podcast’s nearly 120 episodes serve as an oral history of the station and illustrate the strong bond shared by generations of alumni.

Original air date: Feb. 27, 2024 Margaret Talev covered American politics and the White House for 30 years, including working the campaign trail for presidential elections in 2008, 2012 and 2016 as a White House correspondent for Bloomberg News and McClatchy Newspapers. As Talev watched the events of Jan. 6, 2021, unfold, she wondered how thousands of her fellow citizens could stage a protest based on misinformation. In the aftermath, Talev wanted to focus her career efforts on the relationship between the news being produced and consumed by voters and how that impacted their views on democracy and governance. Talev was eventually hired to lead the Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship (IDJC), a joint effort of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Talev discusses the mission and vision for the IDJC, how distrust in election results and politicians is at an all-time high, the importance of voters becoming media literate, the role citizens can play in addressing issues facing our democracy and the challenges artificial intelligence poses.

Original air date: Feb. 15, 2024 ������ has a proud and storied tradition of honoring Black History Month through a series of engaging and thought-provoking student-run programs, events and discussions through March 3 on campus. Student leaders like Dylan France ’24 and Andrea-Rose Oates ’26 are among the many passionate and talented Black student leaders who have become agents of change for their peers during their time on campus. And France and Oates are committed to helping train a new generation of student leaders. On this “’Cuse Conversation,” France and Oates discuss what fueled their involvement as student leaders and how they hope to inspire other students to become agents of change, explore what their Black heritage and Black culture means to them, share how they found community on campus and offer up their highlights from the Black History Month celebrations.

Original air date: Jan. 29, 2024 ������ has developed into an outstanding and accomplished research institution. As Syracuse’s Vice President for Research, Duncan Brown supports and empowers Syracuse’s internationally recognized creative and scholarly excellence, advancing centers and institutes that are global leaders in their fields. In this role, Brown oversees $157 million in internal and external research funding across the natural sciences, engineering, education, social sciences and law fields. Brown also leads the Office of Research and its component units, which serve as the backbone of the University’s research, scholarship and creative support enterprise. Collectively, these efforts help students and faculty expand their knowledge through innovation, creativity and discovery. On this ‘Cuse Conversation, Brown shares his vision for the research enterprise at ������, explains what makes Syracuse a premier research institution, examines the impact the research being done by our faculty and students is having on campus and beyond, and reveals where his passion for research came from.

Original air date: Jan. 11, 2024 Rick Wright G’93 had a front-row seat as the Civil Rights movement took off across the American South in the late 1950s and early 1960s, participating in the sit-ins and demonstrations as a teenager in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. At the heart of the movement were the non-violent, civil disobedience teachings of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Civil Rights leader who inspired Black citizens around the country to speak out and stand up for their rights. Wright had the pleasure of meeting and eating with Dr. King several times as a teenager, with King imparting many valuable life lessons on the impressionable Wright. On this ‘Cuse Conversation, Wright recalls the powerful impact Dr. King made on him, shares how Dr. King utilized the radio to preach his non-violent message, and how Dr. King’s oratorical prowess inspired his successful career as both a radio broadcaster and television, radio and film professor at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Wright, who became the first Black communications professor at Newhouse, was the first faculty advisor for the student-run radio station WJPZ and served as an invaluable resource for the thousands of students who took one of his classes. He’s the definition of “Major Market.”

Original air date: Nov. 27, 2023 Despite growing up on Cayuga ancestral lands, one of the six nations that make up the Haudenosaunee Confederacy of Native Americans in New York, Lorna Rose ’11, G’21 never really identified with her Native heritage. She was raised Italian American and always thought of her Italian roots when it came to her cultural heritage. But that perspective changed with the sudden passing of her older sister in 2020. That loss led Rose to a spiritual reawakening, cultivating an affinity for both her Native culture and her Native heritage. From the depths of sadness, Rose immersed herself in her Cayuga culture, reacclimating and reacquainting herself with her Native roots while rediscovering pride in belonging to the Cayuga Nation, the People of the Great Swamp. As the University community celebrates Native Heritage Month, Rose discusses her spiritual reawakening, the pride she feels through her Native heritage and culture, how the ������ community helped her overcome depression and mental health issues, and why she’s eternally proud to be a ������ alumna.

Original air date: Nov. 6, 2023 Adrian Autry ’94 came to ������ from New York City as a talented men’s basketball recruit, a McDonald’s All-American who etched his name in the school’s record books as a prolific passer and tremendous defender during his four years on campus. Following a successful playing career that included stints in Europe and across North and South America, Autry embarked on his second act: as a basketball coach. He learned from one of the best, serving as an assistant and associate coach for his mentor, Hall of Fame head coach Jim Boeheim ’66, G’73, and in March, Autry was named the program’s eighth head coach. Before the Orange open the season on Nov. 6, Autry discusses this exciting opportunity and why he’s ready to take over and make his mark on the program. Autry also reveals the lessons he’s learned from Boeheim, why his team will be fast-paced on offense and tenacious on defense, recalls his favorite memories from his playing days, and shares why Syracuse has always felt like home.